"An angel, strengthening..."

The synoptic Gospels describe the event that is, for Latter-day Saints, the focal point of the Easter Week. Following the Last Supper with his disciples, as darkness falls, the Savior makes his way to a garden called Gethsemane—nearby but outside the walls of Jerusalem.  There, the Savior asks his disciples to watch and wait, and he goes on alone to pray.  Luke mentions that at one point, an angel comes to console and encourage the suffering Lord.

In 2011, the BYU Museum of Art arranged for an exhibit of many of the paintings of Carl Bloch, the gifted 19th century Danish artist.  They were beautiful to see.  One in particular seemed to really "speak" to me, and I spent a long time (during several visits) studying it and feeling the power of its message.  It's titled "Gethsemane."

The light of the vignette stands out in contrast to the dark background; the stark trunk of an olive tree conveys the garden setting but without much hope.  The tender arrangement of the angel providing comfort to the suffering Lord is most powerful of all; this detail helps to feel the depth of compassion to one who is suffering:

In 2013-14, a second exhibit at BYU included more works of Bloch, along with Heinrich Hofmann and this tender work called "Agony in the Garden" by Danish artist Frans Schwartz:

I love the imagery provided by the wings, encompassing and protecting — as if blocking the darkness and the world from the scene, focusing all the attention on this single event that surpassed every other event in all the history of the world.

The angel's posture is so gentle and tender, caressing and sustaining.  Up close, you can see that Jesus' eyes are open; the awareness of what's happening isn't blocked or hidden as he contemplates the burden and endures the suffering.

Luke's account provides tender insight into the events portrayed in the paintings:

And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast,

and kneeled down, and prayed,

    Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me:

nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.

    And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.

    And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly:

and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood

falling down to the ground.

   (Luke 22:41-44)

Jesus of Nazareth, the eternal and sinless Son of God, knelt in a Garden near Jerusalem and took upon Himself not only the sins, but also the pains and infirmities of all mankind.  In His extremity of suffering, perhaps He even knew what it was like to feel despair, discouragement, and loneliness.  It’s clear that the burden he bore was heavy indeed.

In a stunningly honest petition to His Father, He considered whether His personal desires might not be properly aligned with those of the Father, and humbly offered to submit completely to whatever the Father would have Him do.

Then, and maybe only then in the wake of that confession, came a divine messenger to provide strength, comfort, and encouragement.

We don’t know who the angel was or how he strengthened the Redeemer, but we do know that he came in an hour of greatest need and perhaps blessed with divine and eternal power.

Christ in Gethsemane, Heinrich Hofmann

But the work was not finished.  The angel did not come to remove the burden; he came to provide strength for the Savior to continue to bear it.  The greatest of the work was yet to come.

We marvel at the thought that the Savior Himself could pray “more earnestly” than He had been.  But having been strengthened, He did; and the glorious eternal miracle of the Atonement was fully and completely wrought on our behalf.

Having “descended below all things, in that he comprehended all things, that he might be in all and through all things, the light of truth” (D&C 88:6), the eternal Redeemer now knows “according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities” (Alma 7:12).  And in like manner as He was strengthened in His hour of need, we know that we can be.  God will often send an angel, either a mortal or immortal messenger, to provide the comfort and support we need.  Not to remove the burden, necessarily; but to give hope and strength to carry on.

But always and eternally, He offers His strength and His help to each of us.  Having trod the winepress alone (Isaiah 63:3), our Savior now promises that we do not ever have to walk alone.  He will walk with us, as we take His yoke upon us, and will strengthen us in our times of trial and concern.

That is the great and glorious promise of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, Savior of all mankind, to each of us.